What were you doing before you applied to the Conway School?
A few months ago, I left the NJ Department of Transportation and started working at Back to Nature Home & Garden in Basking Ridge, NJ. BTN is a residential landscape design-build firm that caters to ecologically-minded homeowners. I love being a part of a truly collaborative team of designers, craftspeople, horticulturalists, gardeners, and even a chef! We also have a small nursery and gift shop, which provides clients with seasonal offerings that embellish our design, construction, and maintenance work. It is a joy to work on fast-paced projects and quickly create amazing outdoor living spaces!
What brought you to Conway?
Although I had been considering a career in landscape design/planning for a while, a few weeks of furlough during the pandemic had me considering how I could make the switch from architecture to landscape design. When I found Conway’s ecological approach to design and planning, I knew it was the right fit for what is important to me in my career.
How did you first learn about Conway?
Honestly, I think it was through a Google search!
Imagine we just met, and recognized we had common interests. How would you describe Conway to me?
An intensive program with a down-to-earth philosophy and like-minded people. Students and staff are focused but balanced, in an incredibly collaborative environment that is hard to duplicate. It truly was one of the most supportive environments I have experienced. The class size is small and everyone roots each other on, sharing the knowledge they have brought from wherever they have been before.
What advice do you have for someone just starting out in the field?
Be patient. The design world often moves slowly, especially when working on larger projects. Do not be discouraged when a project doesn’t result in construction; you will have learned from the experience and carry that through to your subsequent projects.
What are you doing right now, and what do you love about it?
Currently, I am continuing to build my own business, Inkberry Designs LLC, which focuses on small-scale, sustainable residential and municipal landscapes. I am enjoying the process of creating a business and the flexibility of being able to choose which projects I take on. I look forward to seeing where it takes me!
List one or more books that you find influential in the field of ecological design and/or planning.
- Principles of Ecological Landscape Design by Travis Beck
- Design for Flooding: Architecture, Landscape, and Urban Design for Resilience to Climate Change by Watson and Adams
- Bringing Nature Home by Doug Tallamy (really any of his books)
What book changed your life?
The Not So Big House by Sarah Susanka
What is your favorite tool? E.g., a type of gardening tool, digital tool, etc.
A pen. I have always loved putting a pen to paper, whether to write or draw.
How do you think ecological design and planning can help make positive change?
It’s incredibly important to consider the ecology of a place when designing, so that we can develop or change things with the least negative impact that we can. When designing ecologically, we are committing to making conscious decisions for the health of an environment as a forethought, instead of an afterthought. By considering it upfront we can shift the process and positively affect change with how land is developed.
I like to develop projects by beginning with a similar approach to site analysis and design as I learned with my student projects at Conway (I do love Sharpies and trace paper)! I continue to be mindful about sustainability (environment, equity, and economic factors) and scale it to the specific project I am working on when designing solutions for the site. I make an effort to understand what I can add (or subtract) from a space to encourage ecosystem health, which is something Conway has deeply instilled in us and is a real advantage for understanding how to address all types of challenges within land management and stewardship.